put a kid through hunters ed lately????

[high voltage]

my 9 y/o boy is almost done with his on line hunters ed. i had heard that the paul bunyen gun club does hunters ed. does any body know if i can do just a field test there? or any where else. or maybe one of the sportsmans clubs in the area might do it privately. any body whos been through this process could give a little insight? not sure if the dates and locs listed on the wdfw site are the only way i can doo this??

[Becky]

Paul Bunyan has some of the longest waits.. Try giving TSC (Tacoma sportsman's club) a call

[Elk329]

Students have to go through a class that is put on through the WDFW hunter Ed program. Registration is only done through there web site so the times and places listed are it. The one thing that I have found is that you need to check the website often because alot of classes are put on in a hurry but they also fill up very fast. I had one that filled 30 places in less than 20 hrs. last year and some of these students drove half way across the state to attend.

[arrowflinger]

Paul Bunyan at this time is only doing field courses for online training in Aug, Sept and Oct. Dates have not been set. We have week classes almost every month. Are next Class starts March 17. If anyone would like and we have room (because we get a lot of no shows) You can sign up right there. The online Registration says we are full but half to a third do not show.

[huntingfool7]

PM sent

[Old Man Yager]

Get registered quick, they fill up fast. Good luck to your son on the testing.

[runningboard]

we had one class last fall that filled up in 6 minutes! & all showed and took the class

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

My daughter signed up for the on-line course, but after waiting over a year to find a Field skills evaluation that was not booked up within driving distance, we just got lucky and found open seats at a traditional course (I know they ask you not to, but it was over a year)
Benefit was my younger daughter got to go also !!
Now only my 4 y/o son to go...
I have been reading the study guide to him, figure he should know it inside and out by next year...

[Dave of TDG-Farms]

As suggested, go to the hunters safety website and keep checking till something within reasonable distance shows up. Then be vigilant on the opening sign up time. In fact, Id suggest start looking at that sign up 2 hours before they have it listed. Have known of a few times where it will say 12:00am but actually started at 10pm.

Also make sure you have all your paperwork in order and COMPLETED before you show up. Not sure about anywhere else but here at this class I was part of, as long as your paperwork was done and in order, you passed the "written" test and didnt level your muzzle over another person, you passed. 2 people didnt pass the written, they left and one girl, out in the field test, swept her entire group with her muzzle. She too, left.

[deadyote]

I just signed up my 8 year old two days ago for the June class at TSC.  There were still spots available there.  One question I do have is my kid is a big kid but not quite sure about a full sized rifle yet.  What do they shoot during the class.  He has a .22 that he is very comfortable with, but don't know if I want to throw him behind a rifle or shotgun just yet.  It has been so long since I went through I can't remember what the field day entails.  Thanks fellas.

[iusmc2002]

We had people from Seattle, Auburn and Moses Lake in Colville today for the Online Eval.  The classes are out there, but sometimes you have to drive a ways to get to one

[Bob33]

we had one class last fall that filled up in 6 minutes! & all showed and took the class

90 seconds for ours last year.

All sessions should be here: http://www.register-ed.com/programs/95

[Bullkllr]

I just signed up my 8 year old two days ago for the June class at TSC.  There were still spots available there.  One question I do have is my kid is a big kid but not quite sure about a full sized rifle yet.  What do they shoot during the class.  He has a .22 that he is very comfortable with, but don't know if I want to throw him behind a rifle or shotgun just yet.  It has been so long since I went through I can't remember what the field day entails.  Thanks fellas.

A few years ago at TSC they shot bolt-action 22s from the bench (10 shots I think) and single shot 20 gauges at clay targets (only like 3 each).

The field course is pretty thorough. Lots of trail walking with weapon in a group, getting through fences and gates, getting into and out of a boat (lots mess up on the boat), etc. Also they have hidden archery target animals and ask the kid if it's a shot they would take- need to check type of animal and if it's a safe background, etc. My son messed up and shot the pronghorn (they have the kid shoulder and dry fire the weapon with dummy rounds). So those are the things to practice ahead of time.

Practice lots of gun handling in diff. situations; also loading unloading, etc. They will tell you if the kid even comes close to covering anyone with a muzzle they are done immediately- and they're not kidding. Last thing was shotgun- and I watched 2 kids fail right there after passing all the rest.

IMO 8 is a little young for most kids to have the mental discipline to pass the field test, but some do just fine. PRACTICE gun handling and your son should do fine.